A “Green Village” is Growing at Tall Ship Celebration

[Bay City, Michigan] What started as a way to talk about the importance of water conservation has become a hands-on primer on sustainable communities. Indeed, it is a “community” of area businesses and organizations that are growing into the Great Lakes United Green Village at Tall Ship Celebration. Located just south of the admission gate under Vets Bridge in Veterans Memorial Park, the Green Village will feature interactive experiences and information about the little things individuals can do that will make a big difference to the Great Lakes. There is no additional fee for the Green Village experience. All that is required is a passion for the Great Lakes and a thirst for information.

“The Green Village is an exciting and timely addition to Tall Ship Celebration,” explained Mike Kelly, Director of the Great Lakes Office for The Conservation Fund and administrator of the Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network (WIN), local sponsor of the Green Village. “The principles of sustainable communities—balancing the interests of the environment, the economy and society—are the cornerstone of our organization. We are pleased to play an integral role in bringing the Green Village to life for the guests of Tall Ship Celebration.”

Participants in the Green Village are businesses and non-profit organizations who agree to provide an appropriate interactive experience that complements the overall theme of sustainable community. Confirmed participants include Tall Ship Celebration Major Sponsors Dow Corning, Dow Chemical and Consumers Energy that will demonstrate a variety of solar and wind turbine applications.

In addition to seeing a solar array and watching a wind turbine up close, visitors to the Green Village will stroll through a rain garden, visit a mini-Farmer’s Market and learn why wetlands are important to the health of the Great Lakes. A small stage will host demonstrations and presentations throughout the event by organizations like Great Lakes United and the Shedd Aquarium. The Wildlife Recovery Association will be on-hand with live birds of prey.

Tall Ship Celebration: Bay City occurs in conjunction with the TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE®, a series of races and rallies produced by the American Sail Training Association held approximately every three years in the Great Lakes. The Bay City event is presented by Dow Corning and sponsored by The Bay City Times and Neighborhood Michigan Ford Dealers with additional support from the Dow Chemical Company, St. Mary’s of Michigan, Consumers Energy, CMU Public Broadcasting, Wildfire Credit Union and Citizens Bank.

In 2010, ASTA has partnered with Great Lakes United to bring a fleet of international Tall Ships to the Great Lakes, the world’s largest body of fresh water. Great Lakes United is a bi-national advocacy organization with offices in the US and Canada. Vessels participating in the Great Lakes United TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® 2010 will race through all five Great Lakes making port appearances in cities throughout the US and Canada. Across six ports, the Great Lakes United TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® 2010 will carry a message of freshwater conservation in celebration of waters worth protecting.

The Tall Ship Celebration Green Village is sponsored locally by the Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network. WIN is a community-based, voluntary initiative that connects people, resources, organizations and programs to improve the quality of life in the Saginaw Bay Watershed. It develops projects, supports related organizations and strives to increase communication between existing efforts. WIN’s members are diverse and include business people, farmers, conservationists, tourism specialists, city planners, government representatives and community members.

Editor’s Note: Many other Green Village activities and displays are under development. In the meantime, the Tall Ship Celebration Green Development Committee invites proposals from interested businesses and organizations. Those who would like to learn more should send a message to info@tallshipcelebration.com.